Weight printing coin controlled scale



June 1934. v. F. SLEZAK WEIGHT PRINTING COIN CONTROLLED SCALE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 17, 1930 1 11! 111 11 III June 26, 1934. v. F.SLEZAK WEIGHT PRINTING COIN CONTROLLED SCALE Filed Nov. 17, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Flt 9A6? Patented June 26, 1934 UNITED STATES WEIGHTPRINTING COIN CONTROLLED CALE Vincent F. Slezak, New York, N. Y.,assignor to International Ticket Scale Corporation, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application November 17, 1930,Serial No. 496,269

4 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a coincontrolled weight printing mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide a weight printing machine ofthe above type wherein the indicating device is moved in synchronismwith the printing wheel by the direct driving engagement therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide a driving mechanism forthe indicating device which imparts positive movement thereto, so thatsaid indicating device may be utilized for indicating the zero placementof the printing wheel.

These and other objects will in part be obvious, and will in part behereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of thecabinet of a coin con- 2Q trolled weight printing machine embodying theimprovements.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 at thecentral portion of the cabinet.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail showing the driving wheel for theindicating device in section.

Figure 4 is a view showing a slightly modified arrangement of closingthe top member for the cabinet, and the indicating device used inconnec- 80 tion therewith.

Figure 5 is a view showing on an enlarged scale the driving mechanismfor the indicating device which imparts positive movements thereto byeach increment movement given the printing wheel.

Figure 6 is a view showing the arrangement of the zero mark on theindicating device which is used in connection with this positive driveof the indicating device.

The invention is directed to a coin controlled weight printingmechanism. In the preferred form of the invention the cabinet is of suchheight that the person standing on the weighing platform can clearlyoverlook and view the top closing member of the cabinet. The coincontrolled slot is placed in this top member. Also placed in the topmember is a transparent panel beneath which is located the indicatingdevice which determines when the elements of the weighing mechanism cometo a standstill. The weight of the person on the platform is printed ona ticket by a printing wheel which is positioned by suitable devices ofa well known character connected to the weighing mechanism. In thepreferred embodiment of the invention this indicating device is operatedthrough a direct connection with the printing wheel. The indicatingdevice is mounted in a frame which is in turn so mounted that it is freeto move up and down, and really merely serves as a supporting guide forthe indicating device. The indicating device is in the form of a flangeddisc. The flange is arranged parallel with the face of the transparentpanel in the top of the cabinet. This disc is mounted on a shaft whichis journaled in the frame. On this frame is a driving wheel which ispreferably provided with a rubber surface, and this rubber surface ofthe driving wheel directly contacts with the type face of the printingwheel. This indicating device is arranged above the printing wheel, andtherefore the weight of the indicating device and the guiding framecauses the driving wheel to frictionally engage the printing wheel sothat it will oscillate back and forth as the printing wheel oscillatesback and forth in coming to a stationary position. With this type ofdrive for the indicating device the zero mark is placed on the typewheel and a pointer arranged on a fixed part and viewed through atransparent panel at the front of the machine to indicate a correct zeropositioning of the printing Wheel. In the preferred form of theinvention the shaft carrying the indicating device is provided with agear, and this gear meshes with a gear rigidly attached to the printingwheel. Thus it is that the indicating device will be positively drivenby the printing wheel. In this form of the invention the markings forindicating a correct zero positioning of the printing wheel are placedon the indicating device and the transparent panel associated therewith.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the invention is shown asembodied in a coin controlled Weight printing machine which includes acabinet or casing 1 which may be of any desired shape. At the top ofthis cabinet is a closing member 2. The cabinet is preferably made ofsuch height that the person standing on the platform to be weighedoverlooks this top member 2. In this top member 2 is a coin slot 3beneath which is a coin receiving member 4. This coin receiving memberis provided with the usual coin diverting plate 5. Beneath the member 4is the coin receiving chute for directing the coin to the coincontrolled devices for the weight printing mechanism. In Figure 1 of thedrawings the chute 6 is shown, which receives the diverted coins andreturns them to the person dropping the coin, provided the machine isnot in condition lOO for performing its weighing operation. Thesefeatures form no part of the present invention, and are merely referredto as showing the location of the coin slot in the cabinet. The weightis printed on a ticket by a printing wheel '7 which is of the usualcharacter. On the peripheral face of this printing wheel is placed theprinting type. A printing ribbon passes between the type and the ticket,and when the printing wheel is brought to a stationary position by theperson on the platform, the coin is dropped which releases the printinghammer and the ticket is pressed against the ribbon and the ribbonagainst the type. The printing wheel is, of course, connected to theweighing mechanism so that it is set in a position for indicating andprinting the correct weight of the person on the platform. In a springscale the weighing lever in coming to a fixed stationary position, whenthe person steps on the platform, vibrates or oscillates back and forthas it comes to this stationary position. Inasmuch as the weighing leveris connected to the printing wheel there is also this same oscillatingor vibrating of the printing wheel as it comes to a fixed position forprinting. Associated with the printing wheel is an indicating devicewhich indicates to the person on the platform when the printing wheelcomes to a stationary position so that the coin may be withheld untilthe printing wheel is stationary, and thus the correct weight is printedon the ticket. If the printing wheel is vibrating and the coin should bedropped, it is likely to print an incor rect weight. This is a wellknown operation in a coin controlled weight printing scale of the springtype. The details of the means for operating the printing wheel have notbeen illustrated as they are well known in the art, and likewise theprinting mechanism has not been illustrated in detail. The presentinvention has to do with the location and the means for operating theindicating wheel. The indicating wheel is shown at 8 in the drawings. Itis in the form of a disc 9 having a peripheral flange 10, preferablyformed integral therewith. This indicating device is carried by a shaft11, which shaft has reduced pin trunnions 12 at its ends. The shaft ismounted in a frame 13 consisting of two side members connected by an endmember 14. These side members are mounted on a pivot pin 15 carried by abracket 16 which is secured to the frame of the machine. The frame canoscillate freely on this pivot 15. On the shaft 11 is a driving pulley17 which is rigidly attached to the shaft, and is also rigidly attachedto the disc 9 of the indicating device. This driving pulley 17 consistsof a metal hub having a flange at its outer end and a rubber or elasticmember 18 which encircles the hub and projects beyond the periphery ofthe flange. The frame 13 is arranged directly above the printing wheel,and the indicating device is mounted therein so as to be located at oneside of the printing wheel with the driving pulley resting on theprinting wheel, the weight of the frame and the indicating de vice andalso the driving pulley continually forcing said driving pulley intocontact with the printing wheel. This produces the necessary frictionalgripping contact between the pulley and the printing wheel, so that theindicating device will be turned in synchronism with the printing wheel.As the printing wheel oscillates back and forth, coming to a stationaryposition, the indicating device will be oscillated back and forth in asimilar manner. Inasmuch as the driving pulley is of relatively smalldiameter, compared with the peripheral diameter of the indicatingdevice, the movement imparted to the peripheral surface of theindicating device will be greatly multiplied. In other words, if theprinting wheel is oscillating back and forth through a relatively smallrange of movement, the indicating device will be oscillated back andforth through a comparatively wide range of movement, so that even thesmallest vibrations of the printing wheel will be clearly indicated bythis device, and when the indicating device comes to a standstill theprinting wheel is surely at a standstill. The indicating device islocated above the printing wheel as noted, and directly below atransparent panel 19 closing an opening in the top member 2 of thecabinet. The peripheral face of the indicating device is provided withsome spaced indicating characters which, as shown in the drawings, arein the form of triangle points, and the transparent panel is providedwith a line beneath which these points come to a standstill. By havingthe spaced points preferably colored, any slight movement of theindicating device will be readily determined by the person viewing thesame through this panel.

In the form shown in Figure 4 there is a slightly modified arrangementof the top panel. It is inclined to the horizontal and contains a coinslot and a transparent panel 19 such as has been described above. Theonly differences in the structure of the indicating device reside in thearrangement of the peripheral flange thereon. This peripheral flange isshaped as a frustum of a cone with the face thereof parallel to thetransparent panel. This peripheral arrangement of the disc is shown at20 in the drawings.

The driving mechanism for the indicating device, as shown in thedrawings, includes operating gears for positively driving the same. Agear wheel 21 is attached to the shaft 11 carrying the indicatingdevice. Attached to the side face of the printing wheel 7 is a gearwheel 32 which meshes with the gear Wheel 21. These gears are soproportioned relative to the rubber-covered driving pulley 17 that saidpulley supports the weight of the frame and the indicating disc, andserves as a driver for the indicating device. The gear wheels insure apositive movement of the indicating device in synchronism with themovement of the printing wheel. For each increment of movement of theprinting wheel there is a similar increment of movement imparted to theindicating device. This indicating device operates in precisely the samemanner to show to the person on the weighing platform when the weighingelements are brought to a stationary position for printing. In view ofthe fact that the indicating device is geared to and positively drivenby the printing wheel the correct zero positioning of the printing wheelcan be indicated and determined by this indicating device. I have,therefore, placed on the periphery of the indicating device a zero pointwhich is indicated at 23, and have also placed on the transparent panela line which cooperates therewith. The indicating device is so timed atthe initial assembly of the parts that this zero point is exactly on theline when the printing wheel is exactly on the zero line and would printzero indications on the ticket. This zero positioning may be twentypounds or any other suitable starting point. If it is found that thezero indications are not on the line where they should be when there isno one on the platform, then the machine should be adjusted to bringabout correct weight indications.

From the above it will be noted that I have provided a coin controlledweight printing machine which is of relatively small proportions, andwherein the coin slot and the transparent panel through which theindicating device is viewed are both arranged in the top closing plateof the cabinet. It will also be noted that I have provided a coincontrolled weight printing device wherein there is an indicating devicethat is driven directly from the printing wheel, and therefore there isno lost motion in operating parts, but the indicating device is moved inperfect synchronism with the printing wheel when the indicating deviceis stationary and the printing wheel is also stationary. Furthermore, bymy improved method of driving the indicating device there is amultiplied range of movement in the indicating device for each incrementof movement of the printing device, and this renders the indicatingdevice much more efficient in determining the stationary position of theprinting wheel. Then again by the gearing of the indicating device tothe printing wheel, so that it is positively moved thereby, I am able toshow through the indicating device whether or not the printing wheel isset at its correct zero printing position when there is no person on theplatform.

It is obvious that minor changes in details of construction andarrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as' new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. In a weight printing coin controlled scale, the combination of acabinet, a printing wheel within said cabinet, a transparent panel inthe wall of said cabinet, a motion indicating device adjacent the innerface of said transparent panel, a movable frame in which said indicatingdevice is mounted for rotation, a driving pulley connected to saidindicating device and bearing against the type face of the printingwheel for supporting and rotating said indicating device, a gearattached to said indicating device and meshing with the gear attached tothe printing wheel whereby said indicating device is positively moved insynchronism with said printing wheel.

2. In a weight printing coin controlled scale, the combination of acabinet, a printing wheel within said cabinet, a transparent panel inthe wall of said cabinet, a motion indicating device adjacent the innerface of said transparent panel, a movable frame in which said indicatingdevice is mounted for rotation, a driving pulley connected to saidindicating device and bearing against the type face of the printingwheel for supporting and rotating said indicating device, a gearattached to said indicating device and meshing with the gear attached tothe printing wheel whereby said indicating device is positively moved insynchronism with said printing wheel, said driving pulley having anelastic face making contact with said type face and so proportionedrelative to the gears as to maintain said gears in loose runningcontact.

3. In a weight printing coin controlled scale, the combination of acabinet adapted to house a weight printing wheel, said cabinet having atransparent panel in the top closing member thereof, a motion indicatingdevice disposed above said printing wheel and directly beneath thetransparent panel, means operated by the printing wheel for imparting amultiplied movement to said indicating device, said indicating devicehaving a zero mark on the periphery there'- of cooperating with a markon the transparent panel whereby the correct positioning of the printingwheel may be determined through said indicating device.

4. In a weight printing coin controlled scale, the combination of acabinet, a printing wheel within said cabinet, a transparent panel in awall of said cabinet and an indicating device adjacent said transparentwall, a movable frame in which said indicating device is mounted forrotation, driving means connected to said indicating device and having apositive rotating connection with the printing wheel, said indicatingdevice having characters on the face thereof including a zero markwhereby the correct zero positioning of the printing wheel may bedetermined through said positive conneotion of the indicating devicewith the printing wheel.

VINCENT F. SLEZAK.

